ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 338, 30 May 1885, Page 11

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

UIMEOD.— WiII reply to your questions next week. No authentic record published. Will have to •wire to Wanganui for pedigree.

The Takapuna races took place last Monday. The weather was bad throughout Sunday, but broke about ten o'clock on Monday. Up to that time it was doubtful if the races would come off. The consequence was that several owners, who did not get nothe till too late to get their horses over in time for the first races,, had either to scratch them or run them for their engagements later in the day. The attendance, taking all thinga into consideration, whs much larger than could have been expected. The course, owing to its low situation and the amount of rain, was extremely heavy. Notwithstanding this, no serious accident occurred, though just prior to the start pf the Winter Oats Handicap J. Thorpe and W. Laing, cantering to the post in opposite directions, collided, and both were thrown, but fortunately not hurt. The racing was of a far better character than one would have anticipated, and the Committee must be congratulated on winding up the season in such a- satisfactory manner. It is to be hoped that their funds will enable them to enlarge their course and complete the drainage during the winter months. The races i commenced with the Selling Hurdle Eace, for which five started, Shotover winning easily from Derby and Miss Griffiths. The Birthday Handicap would have produced a good field but for the uncertainty, as mentioned abov^B, of the races coming off. However, seven faced the starter. The race resulted .in a regular boil over, as Castashore, favored by his light weight, and being in the humour, WQii||easily from Victory and Sir Bedevere, thg| giving his backers the good return of £tW'il7s ; his owner, having been so often disappointed, only invested a solitary soy. ori him. It is not ofien that you see three such arrant rogues as the winner, Sir Bedevere, and Kalo start for a race. Julia Ann defeated Seagull, Whalebone, and Nikorangi for the Selling Steeplechase. The Hurdle Eace was a failure, as only Shotover and Pipi came to the front, but the finish was most exciting, as the former only won by a short neck. The Winter Oats Handicap brought eight to the front, and resulted in a good race between Mystery, Cinderella and Castashore, the former winning by a short length, half-a-length separating second and third. Little Wonder beat Comet, Notice of Motion, anl two others for the. Selling Eace. Only five started for the Steeplechase, but it was a splendid race, all the horses keeping well together for the greater part of the dis-tance,-when Julia Ann, Quilp, and Seagull drew away and cleared the last hurdle together, Quilp running the strongest eventually won by three parts of a length from Julia Ann, Seagull a good third. This "brought a successful meeting to a close. An Australian contemporary has the following par: 'By a New Zealand telegram, we are informed that the Hon. W. Bobinson has shipped Vanguard and another horse to Sydney, en route to Liverpool, where it is his intention to run them.' This is rather rough on New Zealand sporting •writers, las it is either a skit or a hard fact. I should not be a bit surprised if it proves the latter, as the generality of New Zealand sporting scribes are remarkrble for their profound ignorance pf turf matters. The writers principally" employed by the Press Association are about as incompetent as they well can be. They do not know one part of a horse from another, and, therefore, I am not in the least surprised at my confrere of the Sportsman, who is really a practical man. a-nd one of the best writers in the Southern Hemisphere, being ' had ' by the misleading message despatched by the New Zealand ,§crib'e. All sporting men ought to know that even in shipping a horse to England he will require 12 months to get into condition at the end of the voyage if ever he does ; also that if a man has a horse good enough to send home, he would hardly send iiim to run at such a place as Liverpool, where there are no valuable stakes or heavy letting. r Mr Clarke, an Indian trader, has purchased Coningsby and Gohanna, and the pair will leave for the East very shortly. The price paid for the erratic chestnut (five guineas) was a stiff one, but, as I look upon the horse as the most brilliant maiden that ever left these shores, I think .the purchaser has a bit the best of the bargain. — Sportsman. : Betting is becoming a regular mania in tlae Colonies, as I see by ' Vigilant's ' notes

that the followiag horses have absolutely been backed already for the Newmarket Handicap, some of them to nearly as much as £5000 : — Morceau, Sirocco, Queen's Own, Malua, Lantern, Lord Wilton, Coronet, Anchorite, and others. For the Melbourne Cup Sardius is continually coupled with Newstead and Nordenfeldt. "Vigilant" says — 'I saw the leviathian wager- of £10,000 to £50 laid a week or two ago about Newstead and Sardius, and now that the last-named horse has run so well when manifestly not as fit as he will be in a few months hence, the backer has a lot the best of the bet.' Several other horses have been backed for the Cup at ridiculously short odds, especially Welcome Jack. It is therefore no wonder that bookmaking is a good game in Australia and elsewhere, as it is only a question of getting their money in from backers and having to pay on the day of settling. The accounts of the Wanganui Steeplechases, a^ usual from that place, are meagre in the extreme ; thus no comments can at present be made. The Wangantii Steeplechase brought the splendid field of ten to the post, New Year, Director, and Pathfinder having been scratched. Druid, who started first favourite, won rather easily from Caoutchouc, Billy-go-by-em being third. The Maiden Staeplechase fell to Caoutchouc, defeating Diomedes, Abolition, and four others. The Grand Stand Steeplechase brought the good field of eight to the post, Billy-go-by-em winning easily from Pathfinder and Rambler. Macaroni in neither of his races showed up prominently, and in all probability is waiting for the Hawke's Bay Meeting. The first day of the Dunedin Birthday Meeting came off in rather unfavourable weather ; the attendance therefore was poor, but the racing, however, was good and the' fields fair, as every owner went for the last chance of making their winter oats. Tim Whiffier (7st lib) secured the Provincial

Handicap, Lady Emma (Bst) second, Taiaroa (7st 101 b) third ; Adamant also started. Tim had little difficulty in disposing of the mare, and it is to be hoped that she will now be relegated to the stud, as she has lost all form. It would save the infatuated public a good deal of money, as they still cling to her, ignoring the fact that mares do not improve with age. The Tradesman's Handicap fell to Captain Webster (7st 71bs), Tim Whiffler (Bst) second, Matanaka (6st) third. Blue Jacket also ran. The Captain won easily by three lengths. The second day the weather was ffne, the attendence and the racing being very good. The Birthday Handicap (the principal race of the day) was a failure, as according to the telegrams only three started— Captain Webster (the winner), Tim Whifller and Lady Emma ; but the message is so bluudered (perhaps owing to its being the Queen's Birthday) that it is hard to make out. Taiaroa placed the Welter Handicap to his owner's credit, Don Jose, Borderman, and Ouida being behind him. The Consolation was run in the dark, and the judge being unable to name the winner, it was ordered to be run the next day. This shows great mismanagement on the part of the officials, as they should either have kept better time or started the races earlier. The other races are of no interest. This meeting ends the legitimate season, and lovers of racing will have plenty of time to discuss the chances of the different candidates -for the New Zealand Cup; but I should strongly advise them to ignore all running at this meeting, as it reads false.